SL3 - edge performance with “M” 50 APO?

[Jon Warwick]

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This might be a long shot, but has anyone specifically tried the “M” 50 APO Summicron on the SL3? If so, how is the edge performance? And if anyone has directly compared this lens on both the SL3 and M11, I’d be especially pleased to hear your thoughts. 

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[jaapv]

A 50 mm on an SL? I see no reason for concern, but let actual users weigh in. 

[Ken Abrahams]

I have, many times Jon but I hardly stop to look at the edge performance because the rest is so good. I will look at some files tomorrow and see if I see something.

Ken 

[LD_50]

I’ve not seen a direct comparison of the 50M APO on SL2 or SL3 compared to their performance on an M body. ReidReviews has done a few direct comparisons of different M lenses of various focal lengths on high resolution M and SL2/3 bodies and every one I recall has shown better corner performance on the M bodies, including the 50s.

That said, without a direct comparison to review, I imagine many would find the edge performance of the lenses satisfactory on SL2/3.  

[beewee]

On 6/9/2025 at 7:59 AM, Ken Abrahams said:

I have, many times Jon but I hardly stop to look at the edge performance because the rest is so good. I will look at some files tomorrow and see if I see something.

Ken 

Is be curious yup know what the edge performance looks like too. 🙏 

[FlashGordonPhotography]

It look pretty much the same as the M, for my eyes. I only did some cursory testing side by side. It’s great. Not quite as excellent in the far corners as the M but still very very good.

But in every way the SL APO 50 is better. Just sayin’

Gordon

[Ken Abrahams]

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I couldn't see any edge problems with the Apo Summicron M 50 Asph and the SL3 except for extreme perspectives and the usual corner issues for any lens bar the SL Apo's.

In LR going to filters and camera details searching for Apo 50 m lens  

The images are at best guess f8-f11 although the meta data says f16 and could have had polarising filter on. 

These are only edited in LR and generic "auto" processing and full frame straight from camera  

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Edited June 22 by Ken Abrahams

[Stuart Richardson]

Based on your preference for large prints Jon, I would suggest you keep your APO Lanthar and use the money instead for the APO Summicron SL. In comparing the two, the 50mm APO Summicron SL is definitely ahead of the 50mm APO Lanthar on the SL2. It is sharper edge to edge, higher microcontrast and has zero vignetting (probably software, but it is definitely noticeable in comparison to the APO Lanthar's strong vignetting. That said, the 50mm APO Lanthar is still very sharp and when stopped down the differences are smaller. But still, the 50mm APO Summicron SL has a snap to it that is all its own. The SL APO Summicrons are the best reason to shoot an SL camera. They are just incredible.

Edited June 22 by Stuart Richardson

[Jon Warwick]

18 hours ago, Stuart Richardson said:

Based on your preference for large prints Jon, I would suggest you keep your APO Lanthar and use the money instead for the APO Summicron SL. In comparing the two, the 50mm APO Summicron SL is definitely ahead of the 50mm APO Lanthar on the SL2. It is sharper edge to edge, higher microcontrast and has zero vignetting (probably software, but it is definitely noticeable in comparison to the APO Lanthar's strong vignetting. That said, the 50mm APO Lanthar is still very sharp and when stopped down the differences are smaller. But still, the 50mm APO Summicron SL has a snap to it that is all its own. The SL APO Summicrons are the best reason to shoot an SL camera. They are just incredible.

Thanks for your comments, and to everyone else. It’s been helpful. To agree with your point …..I recently road-tested the 50 APO Summicron SL on a SL3, and it was completely flawless edge-to-edge at f5.6. Perhaps Gordon has a more informed view here, but my impression was this SL lens did even better at f5.6 on the SL3 than it did on my previous SL2 …..maybe micro-lenses on the SL3 improved again?

On my M11(M), I found that neither the 50 APO Lanthar or M 50 APO Summicron, were perfect edge-to-edge at f5.6 for the large prints that I do. To my eyes, it took around f8, if not f11 on those M lenses on the M11(M) to fully match what I was seeing at just f5.6 with the SL APO 50 on the SL3.

Edited June 23 by Jon Warwick

[jaapv]

4 hours ago, Jon Warwick said:

.maybe micro-lenses on the SL3 improved again?

Undoubtedly - the whole sensor was improved.

[beewee]

Just picked up the 50 APO M. It’s a fantastic little lens for hiking.

Looking at some of the photos taken at farther distances the edges are very good but it needs to be in focus. I don’t shoot 50mm often and I find it actually very tricky to get both foreground and background in focus even when stopped down to f/8-11.

SL3 + 50 APO M at minimum focusing distance. I really like the soft smooth bokeh when shot at or close to f/2.

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Edited July 29 by beewee